Adamawa

Out of 5,907 persons, who were for HIV and AIDS in nine local government areas of Adamawa, tested positive to the condition, a non-governmental organisation has reported.

The Adamawa office of the Management Sciences for Health (MSH) stated that the number was among 75,746 people, who were tested for the condition.

The state team leader of the organisation, Dr Johnson Fagbamigbe, told newsmen in Yola recently that 2,414 of those living with the condition had been placed on life saving drugs.

Benue

Alhaji Ahmed Baba, the Chairman, Benue Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board said on Wednesday in Makurdi that at least 540 prospective pilgrims would be transported to Saudi Arabia.

Baba, told newsmen in Makurdi that out of the number, 257 including officials, were sponsored by both the state and local governments.

The Chairman announced that all the necessary travelling documents had been concluded, adding that a total of 400 visas were obtained.

Borno

Two men, Nasir Idil and Mohammed, has pleaded guilty in a Magistrates’ Court in Maiduguri to a charge of stealing 78 solar batteries worth more than N2 million and belonging to Chibok Local Government.

The accused are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing punishable under 97(1) and 287 of the Penal Code.

In his First Information Report (FIR), the prosecutor, Richard Balami, told the court that the accused, living in Gwange ward of Maiduguri metropolis, on June 18 conspired and stole the batteries.

When the charge sheet was read to the accused persons, they pleaded guilty.

FCT

The Minister of Environment, Mrs Hadiza Mailafia, has reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to transform the environment sector.

Mailafia said this at a reception organised in her honour by the Kubau Local Government Council in Kaduna State, a statement signed by Clement Egbeama, an Assistant Director (Media), in the ministry.

The statement, in Abuja, quoted the minister as saying that the present administration was poised for the sustainable development of the country.

She promised to implement the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act “strictly” in line with the transformation agenda of the present administration.

Mailafia also said that the ministry would increase the present forest coverage in the country from six per cent to10 per cent by 2013, adding that 1,500 km of Green Wall Sahara would be established in the 11 frontline states.

Jigawa

The Chairman of Jigawa Pilgrim Welfare Board, Alhaji Tukur Gantsa, has announced the transportation of the first batch of 550 intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

Gantsa made this known in Dutse on Thursday in an interview with newsmen.

He said the intending pilgrims, who boarded Max airline, took off from Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano at about 2 a.m.

He added that those in the first batch were intending pilgrims from Birniwa, Kirikasama, Malamadori, Kaugama and Gwaram Local Government areas of the state.

The chairman stated that adequate arrangement had been made for a comfortable accommodation for the pilgrims during their stay for the religious endeavour in the Holy Land.

Gantsa also gave assurance that the free feeding for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia which the state government started about four years ago would continue.

Earlier, the Amir Hajj and the Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Abubakar Maje, had urged the intending pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the country in Saudi Arabia.

Kaduna

The Chief Imam, Wharf Road Mosque Forum, Alhaji Muhammad Isah, has attributed conflicts in Nigeria to the lack of proper religious knowledge and fear of God..

Isah made the observation in a paper he presented on Peaceful Co-existence and Security Sensitisation at a workshop organised by the Ministry for Local Government and Mindscope Resources Ltd in Kaduna on Wednesday.

“Religion must be a tool for progress and peaceful co-existence between people’, he said

The Director, Training, Interfaith Mediation Centre, Kaduna, Rev. Bitrus Dangiwa, said the most effective cure for conflicts was obedience to biblical injunctions. .

He said those who killed to gain power or wealth would pass to eternal condemnation while the merciful, loving and peacemakers would live happily in paradise.

Katsina

The Katsina State Government is to sponsor 50 students to study medicine, nursing, Arabic and computer studies in Sudan this academic session.

This is contained in a statement signed by Alhaji Mohammed Sani, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Public Relations and issued in Katsina.

The statement noted that the sponsorship brings the number of students sponsored by the state government to study in Sudan to 250, during Gov. Ibrahim Shema’s administration.

Lagos

A former Lagos State Governor, Chief Bola Tinubu has said that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) had no regrets giving Gov. Babatunde Fashola a second term ticket.

Tinubu, who lauded Fashola for his achievements in his first term, said the party was proud of him.

“The party has no regrets for endorsing him for a second tenure.

“The governor has been able to turn Lagos into a mega and very friendly city with the meagre resources available in the state,’’ he told a rally of ACN supporters at Onikan Stadium, Lagos.

Tinubu, who is the leader of the party, urged the people to vote en masse for the party’s candidates in the October 22 council polls.

“ACN chairmen and councilors will continue to replicate what had been done at the state level in the councils,’’ he said.

He called for a review of the nation’s revenue allocation formula in a bid to give more money to the councils and states for the development of the grassroots.

Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Government has appointed Mr Emmanuel Jatau, as the new rector of the state polytechnic in Lafia to replace Mr Michael Ibrahim.

According to a statement issued and signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Hamza Elayo, in Lafia, the appointment is with immediate effect.

Until his appointment, Jatau was the Director, College of Remedial and General Studies of the polytechnic.

Ibrahim had been on the post in an acting capacity for the past four years.

Oyo

Vice Chancellor, University of   Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole has said that current flood disasters in Africa are caused by unguided interaction between man and the environment.

Adewole made the statement while declaring open a three-day conference on climate change, organised by Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation, (AvH Kollege) Germany, in conjunction with the University of Ibadan.

The theme of the conference is; “Climate Change and Sustainable Development: Cultural and Techno-environmental Response in West Africa’’.

He said that natural disasters could be curtailed if sustainable knowledge and human environment interaction was assured.

Sokoto

Alhaji Jibril Danmalam, the Director of the State Security Service (SSS) in Sokoto State says his command has arrested two persons for allegedly circulating fake United States dollars in the state.

Danmalam, who paraded the suspects before newsmen in Sokoto on Wednesday, said that they had been charged to court.

“The suspects have since been charged to the Chief Magistrate Court III in Sokoto where they pleaded guilty to the crime, but have not been sentenced,” he said.

The director said that one Kakale Jega, aged 60, who is the prime suspect in the scam, was arrested in his house on Sept. 23, at Gidan-Shawara in Jega town, Jega Local Government Area of Kebbi.

Danmalam said that Jega was responsible for smuggling the fake US dollars into Sokoto State from his base in Kebbi.